Harvard Obtains Injunction Women Brace for Possible Raid

Officials for Harvard and the Middlesex County Sheriff's office yesterday served women occupying the Architectural Technology Workshop at 888 Memorial Drive with an injunction-issued by Superior Court at Harvard's request- ordering the women to leave the building.

However, informed sources including City Councillor Barbara Ackermann said last night that no police bust would occur before 10 a.m. today by agreement with University officials.

The injunction serves all persons in the building, identifying the occupants only as Jane Does. Radcliffe women in the building expressed fear last night that the administration would insert their names in lieu of the Jane Does since, as one woman said, "We're the only ones Harvard can identify."

Collaborators Cited

The injunction further serves all persons acting in concert or participation with the occupiers, thereby including lawyers, food suppliers, and petition distributors.

The injunction specifically forbids "occupying, trespassing upon or remaining in or about the Harvard Architectural Technology Workshop," as well as congregation within or about any Harvard building "in such manner as to disrupt or interfere with normal functions or work."

The injunction commands against employment and treat of violence, the destruction, damage and defacement of any buildings, files, records, or other Harvard property, the conversion "to their own use" of Harvard property, and the release to the public of any Harvard files and records contained within the building.

The injunction further commands against encouraging any person to engage in the forbidden actions, as well as to support "by the furnishing of food or supplies, or otherwise, the continuing trespass" in the workshop.

Injunction Refused

Women in the building refused to accept copies of the injunction and shouted when it was read to avoid being served. However, University troubleshooter Archibald Cox '34 stated that the group has now been legally served.

Cox explained that the injunction was being issued because the building is needed by the Graduate School of De-sign for classes and because the uses to which the occupants are putting the building may be dangerous.

Cox said, recalling the Lawrence Hall fire last spring, "I was responsible for that. Suppose this time I let someone get burned to death?

It appeared, however, that there is strong student support for the women. A noon rally attracted 250 people who marched from Holyoke Center to University Hall to present Dean Dunlop with petitions in support of the Liberated Women's Center.

Heat

As supporters chanted, "Tell Harvard to turn on the heat," members of the Young Republicans and Young Americans for Freedom tried to speak against the occupation but were shouted down.

At one point during the demonstration someone severed the cord of YAF chairman Laszlo Pasztor's bullhorn as he attempted to read a YAF statement denouncing the takeover and demanding forcible police action to remove the women.

Charges

Gary Golding, a spokesman for YAF, said later in the day that YAF had taken pictures of the incident and will file charges of assault with the Cambridge police against persons they hope to identify as being responsible for cutting the wire and punching George Bredig and John Garvey, two other members of YAF.

Amy Brodkey '71 spoke on the steps of University Hall defending the building takeover: "We have no reason to believe Harvard would negotiate with us in good faith. Harvard is unresponsive to the community and to women in particular."

Dispersed

At 1 p.m. demonstrators dispersed and about 150 women marched back to the Center after a report on the radio that the injunction had been ordered.

At 1:30 p.m., Ralph Benz, Special Sheriff for Middlesex County, made the first attempt to serve the women with the injunction. He said, "We're not here to arrest anyone, just to serve a process," but he was shouted down and left without reading the injunction.

Officials returned at 3:20 p.m. accompanied by four Harvard policemen. David Steiner, an attorney for Harvard, read the injunction over a loudspeaker despite organized shouting by the women who had barricaded themselves in the building.

Special Delivery

After reading the injunction, Steiner climbed the steps and pushed a copy through the maillot in the door of the building.

During the day the women attempted to continue with programs they have set up in the Center. despite the constant interruptions from officials and reporters.

A plexiglass bulletin board in the front room of the Center listed activities that ranged from exercises at 10 a.m. to a silkscreening workshop and karate lessons.

Besides the scheduled activities, the women met several times during the day to discuss possible resistance tactics in the event of a police bust.

To simply charge that there are tensions between gay and straight women occupying the center is to evade the issue, just as to say that there are tensions between white and black students without mentioning racism would be evading the issue.

Of course there are tensions; our entire society is permeated by stereotyping of homosexuals, and when homosexuals openly affirm their homosexuality the distortions and fears behind the stereotypes also come out into the open. But when any woman feels upset by the presence of gay women, she should acknowledge her feelings, discuss them with other women, and try to understand where her feelings come from.

Just as we can only begin to understand the black liberation movement by confronting the racism in ourselves, so we can only unite with all women for our own liberation when we have confronted and dealt with our fears of gay women.